My girls

Ever since I agreed to come on this mission, I have not regretted it . . . for the most part.

Oh, sure, I miss my job, friends, co-workers, church, home - which is to say I miss my life back home.

Flannery

But regret? That's a heavy word; a loaded word.

Days like today, I regret being here and not there.

Michaela

My daughters return to St. Aloysius Catholic School today along with the dozens of other children, faculty and staff there who have become such a special part of our lives. The new school year brings 10 months of significant events without me there.

It's not like I need to be there. Fr. Pat Cullen and Principal Lisa Corona run a tight but loving ship at the school, meeting every need of the children.

My flowers with flowers.

But I will miss the soccer games, the basketball games, the Christmas plays and all the other ups and downs that this school year holds. Regret.

I even regret missing the homework and the times one of the girls - most likely my youngest - will come home with a less-than-stellar behavior report.

My daughters.

I know my wife and daughters understand when I'm not there. I deeply love, honor and respect my wife, Alison, for the remarkable job she is doing in my absence. She shouldn't have to be going through this year with the smothering demands of a single parent. Regret.

My oldest daughter, Flannery, is so intuitive with such a good heart. I only hope she learns from me as much as I do from her. Watching how well she balances academics, sports and piano leaves me in awe. She is so well-rounded and grounded and makes me proud on almost a daily basis. Regret.

Michaela is my youngest. Emotionally driven and hard-charging, she, too, makes me proud with her entertaining ways. She can find fun in almost any circumstance - even at times when she probably shouldn't. She is effortlessly smart and picks up on nuances that most of us miss. She is, quite simply, a joy. Regret.

We try to stay connected through Internet cameras and too-infrequent e-mails. I still feel like I am missing so much.

But it is worth a year of my life and the regret that comes with it for what I believe will contribute to generations of stability and prosperity for Afghanistan, a country I have come to care more about than I ever thought I could.